Advanced Procedures
Formal Message Handling
1
Concept
The primary reason for any CAP voice net
is the passing of message traffic. It does
not matter if the traffic is formal (written)
traffic or informal (verbal) traffic, real or
for training purposes, the handling of that
message traffic is the reason for the net
structure, discipline and operation.
2
Concept
A message that is not delivered fails the
mission and the responsibility of the CAP
communications system.
3
Formal Messages
• There are times when the use of formal messages is
important to the reliability of communications. Formal
messages should be used in place of informal
communications when communicating the following
types of information between an Incident Command Post
(ICP) and other bases:
• Receiving or giving work assignments
• Requests for support or additional resources
• Reporting progress of assigned tasks
• Whenever a record of the communication is desirable
4
Formal Messages
• CAPR 100-3, paragraph 2-19 defines the
•
CAP formal message structure
The CAP Message Form is CAPF-105
– Revised Form dated Feb 2014
– Includes Optional Message Number, Subject,
and Group Count
• A Message Passing Checklist can be found
in CAPR 100-3 Attachment 2
5
CAP Message Form
• The CAP Radio Message Form, CAPF105, has three parts:
– The Heading
– The Message Text
– The Ending or Log
6
CAP F-105
Feb 14
7
Message Heading
• Think of the heading as the information
•
that would be found on the envelope of a
letter
The radio operator, based on information
from the message originator, usually
prepares the heading of the message.
8
This is what the Heading section
looks like on the CAPF-105
Light shaded print indicates Optional fields or is a guide
to DTG construction
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The Heading
• Message Number – Must be a unique number
•
•
•
•
•
assigned by originating station (Optional)
Precedence - Assigned by the originator to
indicate the urgency of delivery
Date Time Group – (DTG) Identifies the
message origination date and time
FROM – The person originating the message
TO – The person(s) the message is directed to
INFO – People getting informational copies
(Optional)
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The Heading – (Cont)
• Subject – What it’s about (Optional)
• Group Count – Number of groups in body
–
–
–
–
–
Optional
Used to verify complete message is received
Spaces separate groups
Punctuation marks are not counted as groups
Punctuation with in a string of letters or numbers
does not separate the group
• Capnhq.org is one group
• 123-ABC is one group
11
Message Numbers
• Use of Message Numbers is Optional
• Each transmitting station assigns a unique
•
•
number
Maintain a Message Number Log to track the
numbers used.
A message that is relayed has the message
number changed by the next transmitting
station
12
Message Number Log Example
13
Message Text
• The message text contains the information the
•
•
•
originator wishes to convey to the Addressee(s)
The text should be prudent and economical in the
choice of words that will convey the intended
meaning. Get the information across, but don’t be
wordy.
Grammatical correctness is not a requirement
The text is separated from the heading and the
ending by the proword BREAK
14
The Ending
• Operator’s Notes
– Pertinent comments regarding the message can
be included as “Operators Notes” after the text
of the message
15
End with OVER
• The proword OVER is always the last
•
word transmitted by the sending station. It
indicates that the sender is finished and is
now ready to provide fills or accept a
message acknowledgment.
Receiving stations acknowledges receipt of
the message with ROGER only if the
group count is confirmed and the operator
is positive the message was completely and
accurately received
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Logging the Message
• Receipt
– Station from which the message was received
– Time (DTG) of message receipt
– Initials of operator receiving the message
• Delivery of the Message
– To whom the message was delivered
• Call sign of a station to which the message was
relayed
• Name or duty position of an individual
– Time (DTG) the message was relayed or delivered
– Initials of operator making the delivery
17
Message Checklist
• The Message Checklist in CAPR 100-3,
Attachment 2, provides an order for each
element in a CAP message, and all the
correct prowords
18
Message Flow
• Let’s apply the Message Checklist from
the viewpoint of the originating operator
and the receiving operator
• Prowords are shown in BOLD CAPTAL
ITALICS
19
The originating operator initiates the
call
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Texas CAP xxxx (call sign of receiving station)
THIS IS Texas CAP xxxx (your call sign)
MESSAGE FOLLOWS
NUMBER Optional as assigned by originating
station
PRECEDENT either PRIORITY or ROUTINE
TIME followed by the date time group
FROM followed by the originator of the message
This may not always be the call sign of the
transmitting station
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• TO The action addressee(s)
• INFO The addressee(s) not required to take action
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
(Like a CC list)
GROUPS The number of groups in the message
SUBJECT The subject of the message
BREAK Indicates the beginning of the text
Send the text of the message at copying speed
BREAK Indicates the end of the text
OPERATOR’S NOTES If there are any
OVER Indicates the message is finished and
waiting for the receiving station(s) to acknowledge
21
The receiving operator
• The receiving operator’s job is to copy the
message exactly as transmitted. Don’t
summarize, paraphrase, or guess what the
message “really” says.
• When the sender is finished, it’s time to either ask
for fills or acknowledge the receipt of the
message.
• Then deliver the written message to all the
addressees in the time required by the precedence.
22
Message Logging
• Both the sending and receiving stations
must enter the message number and/or the
DTG in the station log and note if it was
sent or received.
23
Message Tracking
• The section at the bottom of the CAPF-105
•
•
provides a place to note when the message
came in and when it went out of the
communications center
The left side notes the station the message
was received from, when it was received,
and the operator who received it.
The right side notes the same information
for a message when it leaves the station.
24
This is what the Tracking section at the bottom of the
CAPF-105 looks like
25
Message Delivery
• Messages must be delivered to the
addressee(s) in a timely manner.
– Priority messages – less than 6 hours
– Routine messages – by start of next duty day
• In some circumstances a written receipt
may be required to document delivery, just
like a UPS package.
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Definitions
Element
Proword
• Message Number NUMBER
• Precedence
FLASH
IMMEDIATE
PRIORITY
ROUTINE
• Date Time Group
TIME
27
FLASH (Z). This precedence is reserved for initial enemy
contact messages or operational combat messages of
extreme urgency. Brevity is mandatory. FLASH
messages are to be handled as fast as humanly possible,
ahead of all other messages, with in-station handling time
not to exceed 10 minutes. Messages of lower precedence
are interrupted on all circuits involved until the handling
of FLASH messages is completed. Your station may be
in the vicinity of a terrorist attack and able to pass a
message about the attack for officials.
28
IMMEDIATE (O). This precedence is reserved for
messages relating to situations gravely affecting the
security of the nation. It requires immediate delivery.
Examples include reports of widespread civil disturbance,
reports or warning of grave natural disaster, and requests
for or directions concerning search and rescue operations.
Immediate messages are processed, transmitted, and
delivered in the order received and ahead of all messages
of lower precedence. They are to be handled as quickly as
possible, with in-station handling time not to exceed 60
minutes. Messages of lower precedence will be
interrupted on all circuits involved until the handling of
the IMMEDIATE message is completed.
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• PRIORITY (P). This precedence is reserved for traffic
requiring expeditious action by the addressee or for
conducting operations in progress when ROUTINE
precedence will not suffice. PRIORITY precedence
messages are processed, transmitted, and delivered in the
order received and ahead of all messages of ROUTINE
precedence. Examples include requests for supplies or
equipment during the conduct of an operation, time-critical
items requiring quick response, and situation reports. They
are to be handled as quickly as possible, with in-station
handling time not to exceed 6 hours.
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PRIORITY Messages
• Are time sensitive and require expeditious
•
•
•
handling
Are handled ahead of ROUTINE traffic
Are often used for CAP mission traffic
The in-station handling time must be less
than 6 hours
31
• ROUTINE (R). This precedence is used for all types of
message traffic justifying transmission by rapid means, but
not of sufficient urgency to require higher precedence.
ROUTINE precedence messages are delivered in the order
received and after all messages of higher precedence.
ROUTINE is the most used precedence designator in CAP
messages. Examples include any message that requires the
documentation of its transmission and/or delivery;
messages concerning normal operations, programs, or
projects; and periodic or consolidated reports. They should
be handled as soon as traffic flow allows, but no later than
the beginning of the next duty day.
32
ROUTINE Messages
• Are important, but not as time sensitive as
•
•
Priority messages
Is the most commonly used message
precedence in CAP
The in-station handling time should be no
longer than the beginning of the next duty
day
33
Date Time Group (DTG)
• The fixed format of the DTG is:
– Date (2 digits)
– Time in Zulu or UTC (4 digits followed by Z)
– Month (3 letter abbreviations -- spoken as the
whole word)
– The year (just the last 2 digits)
•
•
•
•
Proceeded by proword TIME
DDTTTTZMMMYY
FIGURES and I SPELL are NOT used
DTG is a single group
34
Some Necessary Prowords
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
MESSAGE
NUMBER
PREDENCE
TIME
FROM
TO
INFO
GROUPS
BREAK
35
Some Helpful Prowords
• I SPELL
– Often followed by the modifier “Phonetically”
– Used to spell out complex or unusual names
– Used to spell out acronyms and initials
• FIGURES
– I’m going to send a group of characters beginning
with a number
• INITIALS - No longer a proword and not
used
– Use I SPELL to send a group of one or more
letters
36
Helpful Prowords (Con’t)
• CORRECTION
– The sender is going to backup and continue with the
last correct word
• WAIT
– Hang on a few seconds, I’ll be right back
• WAIT OUT
– I’ll have to call you back
– Channel available for others use
37
Asking for Fills
• The receiving operator uses the proword SAY
AGAIN followed by a modifier to request the
sending station to send part of the message again.
Common modifiers include:
– All Before
– All After
– Word Before
– Word After
– Group Number (s)
38
Sending Fills
• The sending operator responds with the
proword I SAY AGAIN followed by the
same modifier and then the requested part
of the message. Fills can be requested for
any part of the message, not just the text.
39
Other Helpful Prowords
• SPEAK SLOWER, requests the sending
station to slow down.
• WORDS TWICE, requests the sending
station to say everything twice. Usually
used when conditions are difficult.
• DISREGARD THIS TRANSMISSION
– Oops
– Never mind
– My bad
40
ICS Message Traffic
• ICS FORM 213 may be used when working
with other agencies using ICS protocol for
tactical messages. The information is the
same, but its organized a bit differently
41
ICS Form 213
42
CAP R 100-3 ATTACHMENT 2 – MESSAGE PASSING CHECKLIST
• Message element in CAP messages will be ordered as follows:
1. The call sign(s) of the station(s) called
2. The proword THIS IS
•3. The call sign of the sending station (your call sign)
•4. The proword MESSAGE
•5. The proword NUMBER, followed by numerals assigned by the
originator, indicating the serial number or message number of the
message. Optional for transmitting station.
•6. The precedence (PRIORITY, ROUTINE, etc.).
•7. The proword TIME followed by the six digit day and time, the
proword ZULU, the month (three letter abbreviation) and the last two
digits of the year (ddhhmmZ MMM YY)
•8. The proword FROM and the originator's information (office symbol,
address, telephone number, etc.).
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ATTACHMENT 2 – MESSAGE PASSING CHECKLIST (Con’t)
•9. The proword TO [action addressee] and the recipient's information
(office symbol, address, telephone number, etc.).
•10. The proword INFO [non-action addressee(s)]and the recipient's
information (This element is optional)
•11. The proword SUBJECT (This element is optional)
•12. The proword GROUPS (if applicable) with numeral(s) indicating
the number of groups in the text of the message (This element is
optional)
•13. The proword BREAK (to notify the receiving station that this is the
end of the heading and the text follows)
•14. The text of the message
•15. The proword BREAK (to notify the receiving station that the text is
complete)
•16. Any operator notes
•17. The proword OVER The message always ends with OVER
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Questions
?
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